Voting-booth.



E. J. DOUGLAS.

VOTING BOOTH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1912.

Patented Aug. 19, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. J. DOUGLAS.

VOTING BOOTH.

' APPLICATION FILED JULY15, 1912.

Patented Aug. 19, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

finer/far UNiTED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

ELIZABETH J. DOUGLAS, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VOTING-BOOTH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH J. DOUG- LAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Voting-Booths, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to collapsible booths adapted for use as voting booths or for any similar purpose; and the invention relates particularly to certain improvements in my invention for which I am filing application for United States Letters Patent on the 8th day of July, 1912, hearing Serial Number 708,102; and to improvements in the invention. for which Letters Patent No. 828,933 was issued on Aug. 21, 1906 to Albert L. Johnson and myself.

The prime object of this invention is the provision of a simple collapsible booth structure which will stand about two vertical standards, which are also collapsible in themselves, to form two voting booths or compartments which are entirely inclosed and ofler complete privacy to a voter.

My present invention is possessed of several advantages over the construction shown and claimed in the patent above referred to; and in the following specifications I will'endeavor to emphasize those constructional features which conduce to simplicity, rigidity, and ease of setting up. There are numerous other features which I will specifically refer to in the following specification, the constructions being shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective showing my improved form of booth. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective showing the construction at the upper ends of the standards. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail showing one method of detachably securing the braces and curtain arms together. Fig. 4 is a perspective showing the construction of the hinges and joints in the structure. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the method of attachment of the tables to the collapsible structure. Fig. 6 is a detail similar to that of Fig. 5 showing a modified form of construction therefor. Fig. 7 is a perspective showing a modified form of booth.

In the drawings 10 designates a pair of standards, each composed of a pair of legs made in two pieces 11 and 12 pivoted together at 13 with a joint of the character shown in Fig. 4, this joint allowing the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 15, 1912.

Patented Aug. 19,1913.

Serial No. 709,217.

pieces to be folded together in one direction but allowing no relative movement in the other direction. Immediately below the joint 13 I have located cross braces 14 which are also composed of two pieces pivoted together at 13 with a joint of the character shown in Fig. 4. These cross braces are pivoted at 15 to the lower leg pieces 12; and the nature of the joint 13 prevents them from being folded together by downward sagging of their portions. They may be collapsed or folded together by upward movement of the central oints. The legs of each standard are pivotally connected at 20 at their upper ends; and at this point they are also pivotally connected to curtain supporting arms 21. These curtain supporting arms normally stand in the relative positions as shown in Fig. 1, being supported by suitable braces 22 pivoted at 23 to the standard legs and removably connected to the curtain arms in such manner as is shown in Fig. 3 or 6. In Fig. 3 I have shown a keyhole slot 24 adapted to be engaged by a headed rivet 25; in Fig. 6 I have shown a headed rivet 27 on the arm 21 and a hook 28 on the arm 22.

The standards 10 are connected at their upper ends by a collapsible connecting means formed of two similar pieces 30 pivoted together at 13 by a joint similar to that shown in Fig. 4 and pivoted at 31 to angle brackets 32 secured to one of the legs of each of the standards. The inclosing curtain 40 has hooks 41, similar to a Pullman curtain, which hook over the arms 21 and the connecting pieces 30, forming two private compartments or booths, one on each side of the standard. In each one of these compartments or booths I have provided a table member 45, each table member extending across the space between the two standards and resting upon the cross braces 14. Each table member is provided at each end with a suitable hook or other equivalent device 46 which is adapted to fit down snugly over the cross brace 14 and to thereby hold the table members in position. This construction also has the advantage of bracing the standards against lateral movements. I have also shown in the drawings a means of lighting the compartments; this being preferably comprised in a small candle holder 50.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the means for expanding my two booth structure into a four booth structure without the addition of any large amount of structural material. In fact, the relative economy of this four booth structure is very great; I am enabled to supply four separate compartments with less than half the amount of structural material heretofore required in a four booth construction. I preferably hinge curtain supporting arms 101 at the point 100'to the curtain supporting arms 21 the hinges being of such construction and so placed that the arms 101 are supported against ver tical movement and may fold back horizontally against the curtain arms 21. (In Fig. 7 the braces corresponding to braces 22 in Fig. 1 are omitted.) The curtains 101 are held suitably in position against horizontal displacement by suitable hooks 102, as clearly shown in Fig. 7 A curtain 103 is hung upon the arms 21 and the arms 101 so as to form an inclosure or booth as shown on the far side in Fig. 7. This booth is made of the same size as the other booths hereinbefore described. lVithin each booth I provide a table 101 which has suitable hooks 105, or any other suitable means for hooking over the cross braces 1 1. Suitable brace supports 106 may be used for supporting outer edges of the tables.

It will be seen that my present construction affords simple and efiicient double or quadruple booths. hen it is desired to collapse and pack the booth the curtains and tables are removed, the connecting pieces 30 are folded together thereby bringing the standards 10 together; the leg pieces 12 are folded up onto the pieces 11, and the braces 1 1 are collapsed; the arms 21 and braces 22 are then folded alongside the legs. The resultant bundle is comparatively small and easily handled.

My present construction affords me a simple means of providing a double booth, and as converting the double booth into a quadruple booth if such is desired, and the quadruple booth requires a very small amount of structural material over what is required for the double booth. In places where there are only a few voters, the double booths may sufiice; where there is a larger number of voters the two additional booths may be added, thus doubling the capacities of the booths.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of upright standards each including a pair of inclined legs joined together at their upper ends, collapsible braces between the legs of each standard, collapsible connecting means between the upper ends of the standards, table members extending between the standards connected to the collapsible braces thereof, arms foldingly attached to the upper ends of the standards, folding braces for said arms, and curtains hanging from said arms and from the collapsible standard connecting means to form two inclosed compartments.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of standards each including a pair of legs, each leg of two pivoted pieces, the legs being pivotally secured to gether at their upper ends, and a brace between the legs formed in two pivoted pieces, a connecting piece between the upper ends of the standards comprising two pivoted pieces foldable so as to bring the two standards together, arms pivoted to the upper ends of the standards and adapted to normally extend horizontally at right angles to the said connecting piece, braces pivoted to each leg of each standard and detachably connected each to one arm, curtains hung fro-m the said connecting piece and from the arms to form two booths, and a table member in each booth, each member extending between and supported by the braces of the opposite standards.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of upright standards, collapsible connecting means between the same, outwardly extending arms at the upper ends of the standards, curtains hung from said arms to form a plurality of compartments, and table members supported by and extending between the standards, secondary curtain supporting arms secured to said first named supporting arms and extending at right angles thereto, and curtains hanging from said arms.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of upright standards each including a pair of inclined legs joined together at their upper ends, folding braces between the legs of each standard, folding connecting means between the upper ends of the standards, table members, members extending between the standards connected to and supported by the folding braces thereof, arms foldingly attached to the upper ends of the standards, and curtains hanging from said arms to form the folding connecting means between the standards to form two inclosed compartments.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of July 1912.

ELIZABETH J. DOUGLAS.

Witnesses IV. C. CONNOR, ELwooo H. BARKELEW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

